Today we’d like to introduce you to Mackenzie McTaggart.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Mackenzie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My health journey started about seven years ago when I developed painful cystic acne. I was extremely stressed at the time and my hormones were completely unbalanced. I knew that if I wanted to truly heal, I had to make some drastic changes to the way I was living my life. I cut out processed foods, switching to a more plant-based diet, and I started a meditation practice. For the first time in my life, I started to connect my eating habits and lifestyle to my poor health and mental state. I took these steps initially to balance my hormones and clear my skin, but as I made these changes, I noticed that the depression and anxiety I had experienced for years, began to slowly dissipate. I felt free from my dark thoughts for the first time in as long as I could remember. Living a more balanced life has helped me to find my authentic self and developing acne ended up being one of the greatest things that ever happened to me.
This journey led to my yoga teacher training in India and my health coach training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. My true passion is to help others find balance within their lives through mindfulness, exercise, breathing techniques, and low-inflammatory, gut-healing foods.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It is never a smooth road finding yourself. I have had many ups and downs along the way. Although I love fueling my body with good food and good thoughts, I am human and some days are just a lot harder than others. The process of healing and growing into your authentic self can be very painful at times. The discomfort feels so unnatural because we haven’t been in this space before. This is our first time living in these bodies and it’s ok to not know what we are doing. It’s ok to feel pain, loss, heartache and exhaustion. It is all a part of the process. I’ve learned that we have to speak to ourselves positively and just move forward. Sometimes just putting one foot in front of the other is all you can do. Maybe getting out of bed is a major success that day, so celebrate it! Be easy on yourself and foster self-love and acceptance wherever you are on your journey.
Please tell us about your work.
As a holistic health coach, I incorporate yoga and exercise, breathing techniques, low-inflammatory, gut-healing foods and lifestyle changes to help my clients create the life they want. I work one-on-one with my clients to find out what foods and practices work best for them. Nutrition is not the only aspect of living a more healthy, balanced life. Our relationships, career, creativity and spirituality all have massive effects on our well-being. Together we unpack limiting beliefs and practices that have held my clients back in the past from living up to their full potential.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I wouldn’t change a thing. It has not been an easy road but there is no growth without some discomfort. All of the challenging times have led me to where I am today and I am eternally grateful for those lessons.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.healthbykenz.com
- Email: healthbykenz@gmail.com
- Instagram: kenzmct
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/healthbykenz
Image Credit:
Blvckwolf Media
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